General Fantasy Football Tips

I have decided to provide some tips that I feel can assist anyone in any fantasy football league. These tips are essential to success regardless of the format of your league.

Understand The Scoring System/Mandatory Positions

It is important to know your leagues scoring system. Does your league give points per receptions? Do you use individual defensive players? Both of these things are example of elements that can change the value of the players being drafted, and how many fantasy points they will score.

Don't Play With Personal Bias

I am a huge Arizona Cardinals fan. I have loved them since I was about six years old. Fortunately I don't play with personal bias. Therefore I will not take Larry Fitzgerald in the second round when it makes more sense for me to draft someone at another position. Is he my favorite player? Yes. Will I go out of the way to draft him? No.  Attempting to fill your fantasy team with your favorite players might be fun, but it will not allow you to win. I can think of someone in my league who is going to draft without really examining the stats and going off his own personal biases and opinions with little research. I would bet on him not winning the league.

Don't Over Think Bye Weeks

Try to draft a good team. Don't worry about when your bye weeks occur. The following article explains why.
http://www.ultimateffstrategy.com/Strategy/bye_weeks.htm
If you read the article you will see that the impact bye weeks has on your overall season record is negligible.  The site tested:

•  All starters are off on the same week.

• All starters are off on different weeks.

•   No starters from the same position are off on the same week; top QB, RB, WR and TE are off on the same week.

• No more than two starters are off at the same time and none at the same position.

•   Four starters are off one week and three are off on another week.

Every single combination finished within 0.02 points of eight wins. Just draft players who will succeed, forget about the bye week.

Draft A Runningback In The First Two Rounds

Runningbacks are a commodity that quickly vanish from fantasy drafts. It is extremely important to not have a hole at runningback. Whether you are in a flex league or a strict three wide receiver league you can not completely ignore the running game. http://www.mondaymorningowner.blogspot.ca/2012/06/fantasy-football-strategy-2012-general.html This article I have written explains the various advantages to drafting the different positions and which to emphasize. To summarize there are not many elite halfbacks, so try to get one.

Be Flexible/Pay Attention To The Draft Board

It is good to go into a draft with a plan of action. However it is important to have the ability to adapt and change your course of action during the draft. If you plan on getting a wideout in a certain round but see that all the Runningbacks are being taken it might be time to draft a runningback.

Do A Mock Draft

 Mock Drafts are a great practice run through of the actual draft. I have done plenty of them this year. They have really given me an excellent idea of when players typically get drafted and some of the trends that happen during drafts.

Try To Find Players Who Can Fulfill Your Needs In Later Rounds

I constantly see people drafting wide receivers to early in the draft. Examine mock drafts or at least do some planning as to where you can fufill your needs. An example of a player I have examined who can help my team from a later draft place is Donald Brown. I also believe Reggie Wayne is a decent late draft wide receiver. It is important to figure out who you can or would want to draft in later rounds.

Don't Draft Tandems

Tandem receiver and quarterback pairings are not an effective way to go. More information about this can be found here. http://www.footballguys.com/callas_qbwr.cfm I do think there are some situations where a tandem is okay. Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford. Having both of those guys on your team could lead you to some amazing points. However having a guy like a Vick and Desean Jackson could be problematic.

Do Some Research

If you are reading this article you have put in at least a little bit of work into your fantasy team. Follow the general tips above, do some reading, start to form some ideas for what you want to do with your team this year. Good luck!